Chapter 4 #4
“I was invited to stay; you tagged along on my invitation yet again,” Bingley growled.
“That invitation has since been revoked, and now I insist that you leave to stay with our aunt. I have business that I need to attend to and will be leaving myself when my carriage returns. Now come with me back to your rooms.”
“I will not,” Caroline said firmly. “And why would you imply in front of these people that I was not invited? Mr. Darcy is my friend too, and he has always included me in his invitations.”
“Actually, Miss Bingley, I have not,” Darcy interjected as he rose from his seat. “I have tolerated your intrusion in my invitations to your brother, but that ends now. We spoke of this intrusion earlier when you arrived as well.
“Georgiana, I am sorry not to hear you play tonight, but I think we all should retire for the night. Miss Bingley, I understand you are leaving early, so I will say my goodbyes now. Have a good journey on the morrow.”
Everyone rose from their seats except Miss Bingley, who remained, looking both shocked and indignant. Darcy offered his arm to Elizabeth and began to escort her from the room. Seeing that action roused her fury once more. She quickly stood up and moved to separate the pair once again.
“Mr. Darcy,” she cried. “You surely cannot mean to escort Miss Eliza. Should not your sister take your arm?”
“It is rather expected for a man to escort his fiancée,” Darcy drawled, subtly motioning for a footman to approach.
“Whatever can you mean, Mr. Darcy?” Caroline asked, shock and anger evident on her face.
“Since you missed dinner tonight, you missed our celebration. Elizabeth has graciously consented to be my bride. We will be wed in two months,” Darcy informed her.
“You cannot possibly be serious. You cannot marry this, this nobody. This country mushroom? She will be a laughingstock amongst the ton,” Miss Bingley protested.
Darcy was seething, and his entire body tensed. Elizabeth applied pressure to his arm where she held it, and he took a deep breath to calm himself before smiling down at her and patting her hand with his free one.
Before he could speak, Fitzwilliam spoke on Elizabeth’s behalf.
“Tell me, Miss Bingley, in society, is the daughter of a landed gentleman not still higher than one whose father made their fortune in trade? Darcy is a gentleman, not a peer, as is Miss Elizabeth’s father.
That makes them equal in standing, all things considered, and both of them hold a higher standing than you.
Your family does not own an estate, which means you are not even a part of the gentry.
You are merely the daughter of a tradesman. ”
“And who are you, and why are you intruding into my conversation with Mr. Darcy,” Caroline huffed.
“I am Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy’s cousin and son of the Earl of Matlock.
He is a peer, and my mother, Lady Matlock, will no doubt take Miss Bennet under her wing to introduce her to the ton.
” He glared at her for a moment before continuing.
“And she will not hesitate to do anything in her power to ruin in society anyone who speaks out against a member of her family. Since Miss Bennet is now family, she will have the full support of the Fitzwilliams.”
Miss Bingley paled, finally realising her misjudgment. Bingley, recognising this, took her arm and half-dragged her toward the guest wing and her room. He could be heard whispering at her furiously as they walked away.
“I am sorry, Elizabeth,” Darcy said.
“Whatever for? She had never liked me, and the Colonel put her in her place rather nicely.” Elizabeth laughed lightly.
“She’s a jealous shrew,” Mrs. Gardiner observed. “At least it happened here, amongst friends. It would have been much worse had it happened in town.”
“You are correct, Mrs. Gardiner,” William admitted. “She has always been jealous of you, Elizabeth. You garnered my attention from the beginning of our acquaintance in a way she never has.”
“Even when you were proclaiming me ‘tolerable’?” Elizabeth asked, giggling at the face he made.
“Will I ever live that comment down?” he moaned.
“Where’s the fun in that, William,” she teased back.
He caught both of her hands in his. All but Colonel Fitzwilliam recognised the couple’s need for a moment of privacy and left, especially as they clearly had forgotten about the presence of others anyway.
“As if I needed further proof of my idiocy, this is yet another black mark against my character. It is amazing that you could ever have accepted me at all, given how I’ve treated you during our acquaintance.
You must know that I find you so much more than tolerable and that you are very, very tempting.
You are so lovely, Elizabeth,” he whispered.
“It is all forgiven, William. You are a good man, and I failed to realise it at the beginning of our acquaintance because I allowed that remark to colour everything I thought of you. I have been ashamed of my behaviour so often since that night in Hunsford and after reading your letter. You injured my vanity, and I made you out to be the worst sort of man. Your letter opened my eyes to my vanity and prejudices. I understand you better now, and what’s more, I love you.
I respect and admire the man you are, which is nearly as important as loving you.
” She reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek.
“We have begun anew; let us not dwell on past mistakes. We have both made many.”
He leaned down until their foreheads touched. “I do love you so, Elizabeth,” he breathed. “You make me want to be a better man. I am entirely yours to command.”
“Then kiss me, William,” Elizabeth ordered.
He bent his head down, and their lips touched for the briefest of moments before the Colonel made his presence known with a cough. “Darcy, escort your fiancé to her rooms and meet me in your study. We need to speak,” he said commandingly.
Darcy directed a glare at his cousin but reluctantly did as directed. Richard must have something important to discuss, he thought.
Elizabeth chatted lightly as they made their way upstairs. He kissed her hands before leaving her at the bedroom door and then making his way back down to his study.